Blog - The Curious Mover
Dermatomes and Myotomes
Dermatomes are areas of skin (derma) that a single nerve from the spinal column is associated with. Nerves come out from the spinal column and innervate our arms and legs. They connect to our muscles like brain powered extension cords. Why should you know about them? They act like a map, and can help determine the source of a spinal issue. Ever have a shooting pain somewhere in your body? A pinched nerve? Most of the time, those pains may be signals stemming from an issue within the spine, whether it is stenosis, bone spur, disk herniation, or bulge. It’s not a perfect science: sometimes the muscles that nerves run through can also be the source of a nerve pinch.
The Brace and The Torque - Epilogue
Sounds like a soap opera, a dramatic novel, or an alternative music group. But nope, it is another layer I am adding into my teaching to create stability. This two part series (because I had way more to say than I thought) will explore these two principles as it relates to Pilates and strength training. As you all know, I love learning, and I am in the middle of reading Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett. It is catered to the cross fit community as well as olympic weightlifters, yes, SO not what I teach. But it has made a huge impact in my sessions to cue the brace and the torque in Pilates, walking, and strength training.
The Brace and the Torque - Prologue
Sounds like a soap opera, a dramatic novel, or an alternative music group. But nope, it is another layer I am adding into my teaching to create stability. This two part series (because I had way more to say than I thought) will explore these two principles as it relates to Pilates and strength training. As you all know, I love learning, and I am in the middle of reading Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett. It is catered to the cross fit community as well as olympic weightlifters, yes, SO not what I teach. But it has made a huge impact in my sessions to cue the brace and the torque in Pilates, walking, and strength training.
The Backbone
Our spine houses and protects our spinal cord. Structurally, it keeps us upright and bipedal. Our spinal strength and mobility is why we do Pilates and movement. I will be specifically focusing on the mobility of the spine since I am grasping at such a broad and complicated subject. Limitations of that mobility depend on 1, the individual design of our spine (no two spines are alike) and 2, the possibility of stiffening with arthritis or stenosis as we age. What’s interesting to observe is the vertebral shape and size of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar, which dictates its movement capabilities. In between each vertebrae are little pillows called discs, which absorb shock and provide space between. What’s that jargon? If you haven’t met your spine by now, I think it is time. Let's take a tour.